CORRECTION: The New Hanover County Planning Board will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the historic New Hanover County Courthouse, 24 N. Third St.

Area brokers and Realtors got a sneak peak Wednesday of proposed changes to New Hanover County’s special use permit ordinance for industrial users.
 
Members of the Realtors Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina received an overview of the possible changes during its quarterly meeting Wednesday at the Terraces on Sir Drive.
 
Chris O’Keefe, New Hanover County planning and inspections director, told the group the changes to the ordinance include redefining what kind of businesses would require a special use permit and redefining the timeline for an applicant’s hearing before the planning board and commissioners.
 
The proposed changes will be highlighted during the county planning board’s meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the historic New Hanover County Courthouse, 24 N. Third St.
 
County and business officials have been facilitated changes to the permit, O’Keefe said.
 
Meanwhile, Christine Hughes, Wilmington long-range planner, gave an overview at the meeting of the city’s comprehensive plan efforts.
 
Started in 2013, the comprehensive plan is intended to shape the city’s overall development by addressing water and sewer infrastructure, roads and building standards.
 
Hughes said with limited space to grow out, the city must craft ways that make denser development easier to achieve within Wilmington’s city limits.
 
To formulate ideas and discussion for better policy uses for development, city planning officials launched a series a neighborhood meetings to hear from residents about how best to craft a plan for growth and neighborhood preservation.
 
Officials will hold their eighth neighborhood meeting Thursday. This one, for the Masonboro area, is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Parsley Elementary School, 3518 Masonboro Loop Road.